The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a transport temperature control unit and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for controlling a transport temperature control unit having temperature ranges selectively programmable by an end user.
Straight trucks and tractor-trailers are often used as a means to transport cargo that must be maintained at a predetermined temperature during transportation in order to preserve the quality of the cargo. This cargo may be food, agricultural goods or various other temperature critical items. Hereinafter, any vehicle that transports cargo that must be maintained at a predetermined temperature during transportation will be referred to as a transport or transport vehicle. Hereinafter, the term cargo means any item that is transported, stored or otherwise supported within the conditioned space of a transport vehicle that must be maintained at a predetermined temperature.
Transport vehicles that transport such temperature sensitive cargo are constructed with a conditioned space that is maintained at a predetermined temperature by a temperature control unit. Some transport vehicles have a plurality of conditioned spaces, which may be maintained at the same predetermined temperature or varying predetermined temperatures by the unit. The temperature control unit typically includes pre-programmed temperature control ranges. The ranges typically have a minimum and a maximum temperature, and include pre-programmed operations for controlling the temperature control unit. A user enters a desired thermal setpoint for each conditioned space and the temperature control unit operates accordingly in each conditioned space with the pre-programmed operations of the ranges in which the thermal setpoints lie within.
One problem with the above-described temperature control unit is that the unit operates according to pre-programmed operations programmed into the unit, therefore, limiting or preventing user""s preferences.
Another problem with the above-described temperature control unit is that the temperature control unit has similar operations for varying types of cargo.
A further problem with the above-described temperature control unit is that the temperature control unit operates with greater fuel consumption then is optimally achievable.
The present invention provides a method of controlling a temperature control unit that substantially alleviates one or more of the above-described and other problems. More particularly, in some constructions and in some aspects of the invention, the invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling a temperature control unit, which accommodates operations to be programmed into the temperature control unit by an end user after the pre-programmed operations have been programmed into the unit usually by the manufacturer. In some constructions and in some aspects of the invention, a method and apparatus is provided for controlling a temperature control unit to operate with optimum operations for the type of cargo within the conditioned space. In some constructions and in some aspects of the invention, the invention provides a temperature control unit in which fuel efficiency is increased by selectively programming operations into the temperature control unit by an end user.
More particularly, the invention provides a method of controlling a transport temperature control unit having cooling and heating cycles for cooling and heating a conditioned space within a transport. The method includes programming a first pre-programmed control mode into the unit, configuring the unit such that a second control mode is programmable into the unit by an end user, querying the end user to select the first pre-programmed control mode or to program the second control mode into the unit, and programming the specific operating parameters of the second control mode into the unit by the end user when the second control mode is desired by the end user.
More particularly, the invention provides a method wherein programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user when the second control mode is desired by the end user may include selecting a fuel saver timer operable to decrease fuel consumption of the unit. Additionally, when the second control mode is chosen, the end user may select a high speed cool to low speed cool switch point at which point the unit switches between high speed cool and low speed cool in the conditioned space. Programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user may include selecting a restart temperature at which temperature the conditioned space restarts from a null condition. Additionally, programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user may include selecting fan operation of the unit in the conditioned space. Additionally, programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user may include selecting a low speed heat to low speed cool switch point at which point the unit switches between low speed heat and low speed cool in the conditioned space. Additionally, programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user may include selecting door switch options by the end user.
The temperature control unit may include a programmable temperature range. The programmable temperature range may be operable to control the operation of the unit in the conditioned space by being selectively operable to utilize one of the first pre-programmed control mode and the second control mode. The method may include querying the end user to select numerical temperature values for the programmable temperature range. The temperature values may include a minimum temperature value and a maximum temperature value. The method may include selecting a priority for the programmable temperature range by the end user. The method may include selecting a unit control mode for the programmable temperature range. Selecting the unit control mode for the programmable temperature range may include selecting one of a cycle mode, a continuous mode and a cycle/continuous select mode (cycle, continuous and cycle/continuous select modes discussed in greater detail below). The unit control mode may be one of a cycle mode, a continuous mode and a cycle/continuous select mode.
The conditioned space may be a first conditioned space and the programmable temperature may be a first programmable temperature range. The transport may include a second conditioned space and the unit may include a second programmable temperature range. The second programmable temperature range may be operable to control the operation of the unit in the second conditioned space by being selectively operable to utilize one of the first pre-programmed control mode or the second control mode. The first programmable temperature range and the second programmable temperature range may both be operable to utilize the first pre-programmed control mode or the second control mode. The method may include the step of selecting a first unit control mode for the first programmable temperature range and a second unit control mode for the second programmable temperature range. Each of the first and second unit control modes may be one of a cycle mode, a continuous mode or a cycle/continuous select mode. The method may include the step of selecting a first priority for the first programmable temperature range and a second priority for the second programmable temperature range by the end user. The first priority and the second priority may be different priorities. The method may include the step of determining which of the first priority and the second priority is a higher priority. The method may include the step of operating the temperature control unit in the unit control mode corresponding to the temperature range with the highest priority.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a method of controlling a transport temperature control unit having cooling and heating cycles for cooling and heating a conditioned space within a transport. The temperature control unit includes a programmable temperature range. The method includes programming a first pre-programmed control mode into the unit, configuring the unit such that a second control mode is programmable into the unit by an end user, querying the end user to select numerical temperature values for the programmable temperature range, querying the end user to select the first pre-programmed control mode for operation of the programmable temperature range or to program the second control mode into the unit for operation of the programmable temperature range, and programming the second control mode into the unit by the end user when the second control mode is desired by the end user.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a transport temperature control unit having cooling and heating cycles for cooling and heating a conditioned space within a transport that includes a first pre-programmed control mode being programmable into the unit and a second control mode being programmable into the unit by an end user. The end user selectively determines whether the first pre-programmed control mode is selectable to control operation of the unit within the conditioned space or the second control mode is programmable into the unit to control operation of the unit within the conditioned space. The second control mode is programmable into the unit by the end user when the second control mode is desired by the end user.